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Maui County, HI Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Licensing agency
Director of finance
Application review
20 working days, planning and police
Deemed approved
30 working days, no action
School buffer
500 feet during school hours
Unlicensed vending fine
2x to 4x annual license fee
Display fine
$10 to $50
Sign limit
8 sq ft, 15-ft setback

Summary

Maui County requires anyone who peddles, hawks or sells door-to-door, from a stand, cart, vehicle or on foot, to hold a vendor's license from the director of finance before starting business. The application discloses the applicant's route, vehicle, goods and any sign, and vending is barred within 500 feet of a school during school hours.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Maui County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

A.Except as provided herein, every vendor shall, before commencing business in the county of Maui, obtain a vendor's license issued by the director in accordance with this chapter. ... Any person who engages in any vending activity without first obtaining a license issued in conformity with the provisions hereof; or who offers for sale, lease or rent or sells, leases or rents any goods, wares, food, merchandise, service, or thing of value contrary to the terms of this chapter; or who fails to observe the provisions of this chapter, shall, unless otherwise provided in this chapter, be fined not less than twice the annual license fee nor more than four times the annual fee prescribed herein.

Full Breakdown

12 of the Maui County Code defines a 'vendor' as any person, including employees or agents, who engages in business in one locality or travels from place to place other than from a permanent structure, which covers door-to-door peddlers, lunch wagons and sidewalk sellers. 020 requires a written, verified application to the director of finance listing the applicant's name and address, the goods or services offered, the routes or locations to be used, any vehicle by registration number, and drawings of any sign, capped at eight square feet and set back fifteen feet from the pavement edge.

The department of planning and the police department review the application within twenty working days; if the director takes no action within thirty working days the license is deemed approved. 030 waives them for newspaper vendors and exempts religious, charitable, educational, athletic and social-club vending, and allows a no-charge license for anyone selling only fish, fresh fruit, leis, flowers or vegetables. 090. 120 bars all vending within a five-hundred-foot radius of any school during school hours, defined as one hour before the first class to one hour after the last.

110 makes it unlawful to vend on a county highway, shoulder or other county property except from designated public parking spaces or areas the county has exempted by ordinance.

Violations & Fines

Vending without a license, or violating any condition of one, draws a fine under section 5.12.150 of not less than twice and not more than four times the annual license fee. Failing to keep the license displayed while vending carries a separate fine of not less than $10 nor more than $50 under section 5.12.090. The director may also deny, suspend or revoke a license under section 5.12.140 after notice and a hearing under chapter 91, H.R.S.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to sell door-to-door in Maui County?
Yes. Section 5.12.020 of the Maui County Code requires every vendor, including door-to-door peddlers and lunch wagons, to obtain a license from the director of finance before starting business. The application must list your name, the goods or services offered, your route or locations and any vehicle, and it goes to the planning and police departments for review before the director issues or denies it.
Is anyone exempt from the vendor license?
Yes. Section 5.12.030 waives the fee for newspaper vendors and exempts religious, charitable, educational, athletic and social-club vending not regularly carried on for the organization. Sellers of only fish, fresh fruit, leis, flowers or vegetables can get a free license on request, but they still must follow the chapter's other rules, including the school buffer and display requirements.
Can I sell near a school?
No. Section 5.12.120 makes it unlawful to vend anywhere within a five-hundred-foot radius of a school on a school day, measured from the closest point of school property, during the hours from one hour before classes start until one hour after the last class ends, unless the school authority has consented.
What happens if I vend without a license?
Section 5.12.150 fines unlicensed vending at not less than twice and not more than four times the annual license fee that would have applied. The director can also deny, suspend or revoke a license under section 5.12.140 for a violation of the chapter, though the licensee is entitled to notice and a hearing first.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Maui County

All Maui County rules

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